This year’s Cops for Cans food drive at four local grocery stores came in well below last year’s totals, an official says.
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The annual event, held Nov. 18, featured Sarnia police officers and volunteers collecting non-perishable food donations for the Inn of the Good Shepherd from 10 am to 3 pm at the No Frills, Walmart and Real Canadian Superstore in Sarnia, and the Foodland in Brights Grove.
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“The SPS and our community appreciate your generosity,” Sarnia Police Service said in a statement.
Despite “positive” predictions, weighing on Nov. 20 showed the drive brought 11,500 pounds (5,216 kilograms), said Inn executive director Myles Vanni. That’s down from 24,000 pounds (10,890 kg) last year, but in line with other food drives this year, he said.
“Everything is coming in at half the amount,” he said, adding the rising price of food is really pinching everyone.”
The police food drive has in past years raised nearly 20,000 pounds (about 9,000 kg) of food for the inn’s food bank, where demand continues to outpace donations, Vanni has said.
“(Demand is) still high,” with about 2,100 people a month – about 20 per cent more than last year – accessing the food bank, he said last week.
With files from Paul Morden
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